That jingle has been in my head for 13 years, so I was just a tad bit excited when I saw that Finding Dory would be swimming into my brain this summer.

I had the opportunity to attend a sneak peek the other night with my 5-year-old and definitely left the theater with a smile on my face. Believe me when I say you won’t want to miss this one!

ABOUT THE MOVIE

In case you aren’t familiar, here’s a brief overview:

Dory {voiced by Ellen DeGeneres} is an adorable blue tang fish who suffers from memory loss every 10 seconds or so. The one thing she can seem to remember is that she somehow became separated from her parents as a child. With help from her friends Nemo and Marlin, Dory embarks on an epic adventure to find them. Her journey brings her to the Marine Life Institute, a conservatory that houses diverse ocean species. Dory now knows that her family reunion will only happen if she can save mom and dad from captivity.

In this film, you will see a few characters from Finding Nemo, but you’ll also meet some new friends, including some silly sea lions, a nearsighted whale shark, a wacky loon named Becky, and my personal favorite — Hank, an octopus with a sassy personality.

MY THOUGHTS

I’m pleased to say that all the hype and my desires to see a film just as great as Finding Nemo basically came true…I’m in love again! Sure, nothing could probably ever live up to the novelty in the original, but Finding Dory does a mighty fine job.

It’s entertaining, funny, and surprisingly educational at times {for example: my daughter was quick to point out octopuses have three hearts after seeing this}. This film had so many great bigger picture lessons for all ages, too — mainly courage, the importance of family, conservation of our oceans, and accepting others for who they are.

As a mom with a daughter who has a brain that is wired just a bit differently, I found myself pretty darn weepy throughout. The film did a beautiful job showing that while our differences may bring about challenges, our differences are to be celebrated as well. I love that this film empowers anyone to feel like they can do anything they set their mind to.

In true Disney fashion, bring the kleenex if you’re a crier.

My lone negative point is to not waste your money on 3D — there isn’t enough of it to justify the additional cost.

AGE RECOMMENDATIONS

This film truly has something for ALL ages. I’d say if your kid can sit still decently for movies at home, take them! There is just one “scary” scene {which isn’t bad – just a giant squid chase}, and really the only antagonist is Dory’s own self-doubt, which she eventually overcomes. I can whole-heartedly recommend this one to even the most sensitive souls.

Also, kid-free adults? Don’t be afraid to go. I honestly laughed harder at this than most movies I’ve seen the past few years.

PRO TIP:Don’t miss the darling short prior to the the movie called Piper. Your cute-radar will be exploding exponentially. Also, make sure to stay until the end of the film’s credits to see a funny little bit they tacked on too 🙂

Overall, Finding Dory was done fantastically and is sure to be one of the summer’s biggest hits, and for good reason — it’s a crowd pleaser. Enjoy!

Finding Dory opens today, and is rated PG. It has a runtime of 97 minutes.

We attended a media sneak yesterday, and I have to say, it was SO fun. This is such an amazing destination for families. Because we were among the first families to go through, I wanted to share some tips for those of you eager to make plans to visit once the attraction opens to the public on March 25.

Note: I visited with my 5, 3, and 1.5 year old children + a grandma.

PARKING/ENTRY

LDC Michigan is in Auburn Hills, Michigan, inside the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets. Once you arrive in the plaza, look for parking section 6, as that is where you will need to walk in to enter the attraction. Look for the bright yellow building.

Once you’re inside the mall, follow the signs for the food court. On your walk there, a candy shop will be opening soon, so little eyes may wander 😉 But no worries, because adults eyes’ may wander to the Starbucks right across from the LDC Michigan entrance. Score!

ATTRACTIONS INSIDE

We started off on the LEGO Factory Tour, an interactive experience to show how LEGOs are made. It was so neat, and my girls loved creating their own Minifigs with easy-to-use controllers.

From there, we checked out the Kingdom Quest Laser Ride {one of my favorite parts…I had too much fun to take photos!}, and MINILAND, which highlighted many of the best metro Detroit-area attractions in LEGO form.

My girls loved Ford Field, the airport and the “polka dot house” {Heidelberg Project}, while I loved the Detroit Yacht Club/Belle Isle area and Motown, which played music. They truly are works of art. {See the RenCen at this post}

From there, we rode another fun ride, and began exploring all the different areas. I had such a smile on my face seeing the kids around us having a blast creating in each area. Imaginations were alive!

We didn’t have enough time for the 4D theater, but it looked amazing. We ended our trip with playing in the LEGO City Play Zone, which was extremely neat.

AGE SUGGESTION

I would say the best ages for this would be 3+.

My 19-month old wanted to do everything his sisters did, but he was too short for one of the rides and couldn’t go in the larger play area either — a big bummer for him since he loves climbing. May be a good idea to leave toddlers at home if it may cause drama 😉 With that said, it was very stroller-friendly, so that’s a bonus.

This guy didn’t want to leave DUPLO Farm

Additionally, it may be a bit much for kids with sensory issues to noise and crowds. Because of this, my 3-year-old got overwhelmed a few times when things were loud, and she also had zero patience for lines.

My 5-year-old was totally in her element and loved it the most. We could’ve easily stayed for 3-4 hours with just her.

BATHROOMS

There are bathrooms inside LDC Michigan near the 4D cinema, which is near the end. In this area, there is also a family bathroom. I would recommend using the bathroom located in the food court before entering if you think it may be an issue shortly into your visit.

FOOD

There is a Café on the premises. It wasn’t open yet, so I can’t judge the food, but it promises a selection of healthy options. No food is allowed inside the attraction, however water is OK. If eating at the Café isn’t going to please your taste buds, the food court is immediately outside the attraction.

NURSING AREA

If you are a nursing mother, there is a lounge near the play area with plenty of comfortable chairs.

PRICING

Tickets are $23.50/adults and children, ages 3+. Children under 3 are free.

Is the admission price worth it? YES! The prices are steep for larger families, but I do feel it’s a decent value — the facility is absolutely stunning, and there is plenty to do to keep you entertained. The annual passes may be attractive to families nearby, but are only worth it if you can commit to at least 3 visits during the year.

Learn more about annual passes and dual attraction tickets in partnership with SEA LIFE Aquarium here.

Purchase tickets online in advance to guarantee a time slot for your visit.

GIFT SHOP

Upon leaving LDC Michigan, there is a gift shop. I was pleased to see most LEGO sets were on-par price-wise with stores, and they had some really neat things. I wanted a million things myself!

I often get asked: Where can I go for indoor play in Livingston County?

I have plenty of ideas on this list, but I want to go into more detail with one of the spots we absolutely love. Best of all? It’s FREE. If you are like me and have 3 kids to pay admission for, words like FREE are a big deal.

The place is The Commons, located within the 2|42 Community Church campus in Brighton, Michigan.

The Commons is located on Grand River, a few miles west of I-96 in Brighton.

When I tell people to meet me at a church, they pause. “Are they going to ask me to join?” Nope! Truth be told, I’m Catholic, but we visit often. I promise you it’s not weird, and the people who work there aren’t going to ask you to join. They are incredibly kind and welcoming.

Think of their logic: Let’s build a place where people want to gather. And maybe if they don’t know God, they will come check out a service sometime. {I don’t know if that’s their exact logic, but I’m sure it’s close}. Personally, I think it’s genius, and I love meeting friends of all faiths and backgrounds there to play, and really love that they are so involved in our community.

First of all, the facility is GORGEOUS. They took an old athletic building and turned it into something truly wonderful, and no detail was spared.

My kids adore the indoor soccer field the most, and I love that they can run in a vast empty space, and practice for soccer season. We race each other and run laps to wear them out. We bring our own balls, but there are usually a few floating around as well. If running isn’t your thing, there are plenty of tables and chairs to plop down and watch the kids play, too.

There’s also an amazing playscape both on the lower and upper levels, a giant slide, a mini slide for wee ones, an enclosed mini trampoline, and a climbing wall. Plenty of places for kids of all ages to explore and get in some much-needed exercise.

At times, I pack a lunch for us to enjoy there. If you don’t want to pack a lunch, they have a fantastic cafe on the premises as well with all kinds of soups, sandwiches, salads, and more. The kids menu includes allergy-friendly options, as well as mac n’ cheese, chicken tenders, and other kid classics.

To show them support, I generally nab a coffee and a treat for the kids here {they have all kinds of delicious baked goods}. I love that they donate 10% of proceeds to local charities, and everything is homemade, fresh and organic.

I often see business folks meeting here, too. It really is a great gathering space with plenty of chairs and high chairs.

Always check their Facebook page for hours, and be cautious of service times — you may want to skip visiting during peak weekend hours for that reason. Otherwise, it’s open Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Thanks for being such a rockin’ community member, 2|42. Have fun, all, if you visit!

Brighton is home to tons of shopping and restaurants. If you are making the trek out, I also recommend visiting the Mill Pond and checking out the Imagination Station playground in downtown. Other local kid favorites include Jack’s Custard for ice cream and Oh My Lolli for sweet treats.

Today I was able to attend the unveiling of LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Michigan’s first MINILAND LEGO® brick model — the GMRENCEN. The event took place at the North American International Auto Show {NAIAS}, and it was sweet!

I have a soft spot in my heart for the RenCen after my husband and I both worked there for 5 years, so I knew I had to see it in LEGO form.

I was not disappointed. It looks identical to the iconic building! It was too cool for words. Check it out:

Who can blame her? Unfortunately those won’t be sold in stores — they were created just for the display — but wow, they give the illusion that the building is real. Additionally, no LEGO creation is complete without Minifigures, which were inside the Wintergarden area {the big atrium in the middle/bottom}.

The model measures about 6′ x 6′ and stands 6 feet tall, and will be on display at NAIAS through Jan. 24. If you go, make sure to stop by for a photo-op. It’s located in Hall D, which is right outside the BMW area toward the end of Cobo.

The GMRENCEN was voted in as the Detroit area’s favorite landmark and will be displayed permanently in the MINILAND exhibit when the attraction opens this spring.

Other landmarks to be created in LEGO form include: the Spirit of Detroit, Belle Isle, Motown Museum, Fox Theater, Guardian Building, Comerica Park, Uniroyal Tire, Michigan Central Station and the Heidelberg Project.

If this unveiling was any sign of the unbelievable works of art to come, color me excited.

Thank you, LEGO, for showing my kids that if you can dream it, you truly can build it!

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LEGOLAND Discovery Center Michigan will be a 32,000-square-foot indoor attraction featuring millions of LEGO bricks and themed exhibits including a 4D cinema, two interactive rides, large soft play areas and more. {Learn more at this post.}

I don’t know about you all, but I was scared to death of our basement as a kid. We lived in the country and had an old school basement, complete with the mildew-y smell and junk every where. We had extra food stored down there, so whenever my mom needed something, she would send me down to grab it. You can bet I was racing back up as fast as I could before the monsters grabbed my ankles!

We have been working our tails off for a year on finishing our basement ourselves so our kids don’t have to be freaked out by the basement any longer. One reason is we just want a space for all the bazillion toys we are accumulating, and also wanted the extra space for entertaining.

Our amazing neighbor is a contractor and has been helping my husband every step of the way. We aren’t fix-it kind of people, so it has been a HUGE learning process. I hope to reveal some of the lessons we learned in a future post, but until then, I wanted to share a fun Christmas surprise we gave our kids!

We have a large storage area and closet set-up in the basement, so we were going back and forth on what to do with the space under our stairs, when a fun idea came to mind: Let’s make into a reading nook. The only issue was that all the ideas we could find required quite of bit of construction — a.k.a. lots of $$$$.

My middle daughter, Karina, has sensory issues, and we’ve learned she loves small spaces and comfortable and soft things. With that in mind, instead of buying a bunch of toys we knew would get tossed in a few days, we decided to spend some of our Christmas budget on this space. Here’s what we purchased:

Sheets from Salvation Army {I was able to nab them for 33% off during one of their daily sales on linens}

Carpet squares from Habitat for Humanity ReStore – $3 each, in as many colors as we could find!

I used a staple gun and simply hung the sheets from the ceiling and stapled them.

This space may not be super Pinterest-friendly, but let’s be honest, it’s REAL. This is something anyone on any budget can make!

Based on their Christmas morning reaction, I think we have many years ahead of us to play in here. We’ve already used it as a classroom, lion cave and clubhouse. I can’t wait to see what my kids dream up next.

Have you transformed an under-utilized space in your home for your kids? I’d love to hear about it!

Play with snow in the bathtub. You can even add food coloring to “paint” it or give it a tye-dye kind of look!

Blow bubbles {in the bathroom}.

Make an “aquarium” with a paper plate, construction paper and a plastic bag with this tutorial.

Build creations with Play-Doh. We love adding pipe cleaners and googly eyes to ours to make little monsters.

Make creations with salt dough. Bake and then paint. {ornaments for Christmas, hearts for Valentine’s Day, etc.} Here’s a super simple recipe.

Plan a treasure hunt and hide small toys around the house. Tell the kids clues on where to find them, or just let them know when they are getting warmer.

Travel with your mind. Help your kiddos pick a geographic location {e.g. Italy} and search the Internet for fun surrounding the area {e.g. YouTube videos for kids in Italian}. Bonus points: Try making a food item that is native to the area, too.

Color!

“Shop” for specific things around the house. Use a play shopping cart, or even an old Easter basket and arm your child with it, telling them to go find something specific — like anything blue.

Make a rainbow rice sensory bin with this tutorial. Just put a tarp or sheet under it for easy clean-up!

Play hide and seek. If you’re child isn’t old enough, just try hiding a toy and helping him/her find it instead.

Play dress-up and have your kids “model” while you take photos.

Crank some tunes and have a dance party. We are partial to toddler tunes and 90’s music.

Use a box to make a house. Or a robot costume. Or car. Or castle. The possibilities are endless!

Push your kids around in a laundry basket. This never seems to fail entertaining my kids. Plus, a great workout for mom or dad, too!

Play rock band. Pots and pans paired with a wooden spoon make for a lovely drum, while a tupperware container filled with uncooked pasta noodles makes for a fab shaker!

Finger paint. If you need a piece of “canvas” — simply use the back of wrapping paper! If your child can’t be trusted with paint yet, let him/her “paint” with yogurt or some other edible treat right on her high chair tray.

Clean. Kids love it — I swear! Give them baby wipes to wipe up the table, or have them help sort laundry.

Read, read, read! To make it feel more novel, create a fun little reading nook in a blanket fort with pillows.

Play “don’t touch the ground.” Place pillows and other random things on the ground and have your child(ren) hop from object to object, avoiding the ground – AKA hot lava 😉

Have “booty races” down the stairs. What kid {or adult} doesn’t think it’s the funniest thing ever to go down the stairs on your tushie? Have fun with it by racing or timing your child.

Indoor ice skating. Just rubber band some wax paper on your kid’s feet and watch them skate! Be careful — it can be really slippery, so you may need to hold little hands. Recover with some hot cocoa.

Have a picnic in your living room.

Make art with expired items from your pantry. Kids can get creative gluing old rice or cereal to the paper. Heck, they can even color it if they’d like.

Play balance beam. Put tape on the floor {in a straight line, or get funky with a zig zag} and have them walk on it. You could also create a hopscotch board if you’re little one is skilled enough to handle it!

What are your favorite ways to entertain kiddos when you’re stuck inside?